Snowden
by Inexorable
Summary: A look at Satoshi's and Daisuke's relationship in six parts. Tragedy, interspersed with memories of happier times. [SatoshixDaisuke]


Notes: Inspired by Joseph Heller's _Catch-22_. Title of this was blatantly taken from the character from that novel of the same name. D.N. Angel is obviously owned by Yukiru Sugisaki, and not some high-school kid who wishes that she did.

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* * *

It had all happened so very fast. So fast that Satoshi could on stare on dumbly, numb with shock and hurt and fear. Automatically, he held fast to Daisuke's shivering frame, rocking his body—such a frail body, when had it become so frail?— with his shaking hands. 

"I'm cold." Daisuke said, his voice barely above a whisper. "I'm cold."

"You'll be fine." Satoshi replied. "You'll be fine."

Faintly, through the haze of confusion and shock and pain and panic, Satoshi could hear sirens. They wailed, as if they were crying. Satoshi wasn't crying. He was only staring at Daisuke's body, whispering, "You'll be fine," over and over again.

And meanwhile, Daisuke could only whisper pitifully, "I'm cold. I'm cold."

* * *

Years before that—how many was it, two, three four? Time seemed insignificant when he was happily living his life in freedom with his lover—they had "officially gotten together", as Saehara quipped.

It was a few months after the sealing of the Black Wings. Daisuke was lonely; he had lost Dark, a treasured friend, despite all of the spirit's attempts in making Daisuke's life as embarrassing as possible. Satoshi was lonely too, but free—free from the presence of his stepfather who saw his stepson as a tool for his green and lust for power, and free from the presence that weighted down on his being, his blonde, angelic looking devil.

They were so very lonely, and two lonely souls found respite with each other.

Satoshi wanted to make the first move. He had been watching Daisuke for a long time, and he thought they were friends. And friends "hang out" with each other. He had seen Saehara saunter up to Masahiro and put him in a headlock, all while asking his friend to go to the arcade with him all the time. He wanted to ask Daisuke to go and hang out with him too, but he didn't think Daisuke would appreciate the headlock. And he didn't think he wanted to go to an arcade anyway; Satoshi had never once picked up a video game in his life.

Daisuke was the one who ended up making the first move. Despite his shyness and his innate clumsiness (which always confused Satoshi; if Daisuke was the host of the Phantom Thief Dark, wouldn't he be less clumsy? The conundrum never ceased to puzzle Satoshi), Daisuke often was the one who showed initiative.

"Want to go get coffee with me after school?" Daisuke blurted out as they were changing into their gym clothes.

Satoshi blinked, and wondered if these kinds of questions were permitted while changing clothes for gym. All the same, he answered, "Okay."

Daisuke looked relieved, and started to chatter about anything and everything. It was the most Satoshi heard from him since the sealing of the Black Wings. Satoshi nodded, and made sounds of agreement when it seemed appropriate, and Daisuke seemed happier.

They went to a small café and ordered ice coffees and had a one-sided conversation. Satoshi let Daisuke do most of the talking, while he wondered how to start a conversation that didn't sound like he was starting it for politeness' sakes only—like saying, "We're having good weather, aren't we?" (When they really weren't, because the days were cold and it snowed, and Satoshi wished that the weather would just act like it was Spring instead of Winter) or "Well, what exactly do you do during your free time?" (Satoshi had a strong suspicion that Daisuke would reply, looking both nostalgic and sad, saying, "stealing from art museums", and then be panicked because he let it out, and then calm because this was Satoshi he was talking to and not someone who didn't know about the connection between him and Dark).

They left the café an hour later, waving good-bye to each other. And even though they had a perfectly awkward time together, Daisuke asked if they could do it again some time.

Satoshi agreed readily.

* * *

The funeral was small. Only a few of Daisuke's friends, his immediate family, and Satoshi were invited. It was a gloomy day, and the priest said things he probably recited over and over again at every funeral he presided over, saying how Daisuke touched the lives of everyone who met him, and how they would all be sad at his departure from life. Well, of course they would be sad, Satoshi wanted to reply back. He wanted to turn to Daisuke and tell him that the priest looked so indifferent and so insincere when he somberly remembered that he would never turn towards Daisuke and tell him something because Daisuke was the one in the coffin.

Satoshi thought that Daisuke's family would surely hate him, would surely blame him for this. But Emiko clutched Satoshi's arm, and sobbed in his shoulder. Satoshi didn't know how to comfort her, and awkwardly put his arm around her body in what he hoped was a comforting hug. Kosuke was standing close to his wife, his usual pleasant face darkened by sorrow, and tears silently dripping down his too-pale face. Daiki was standing slightly to the side and in front of Satoshi, staring at the clean, neat, and polished coffin intently, as if he wished that he was in it, and Daisuke was staring at it.

Satoshi's face was dry. He didn't feel the overwhelming ache of sadness, just…emptiness. He frowned, and tried to imagine life going on without Daisuke, but found that it hurt his head, and his heart for some reason, so he stopped thinking about it.

When Satoshi walked forward to the coffin to drop a single, white rose, he watched almost impassively as the delicate flower fluttered through space, and land gently on the black lacquered wood. Soon, the dirt would cover and choke the flower, and it would die.

And suddenly, Satoshi felt the full force of Daisuke's death hit him. He stared numbly at the coffin, his hands shaking.

"Daisuke." Satoshi whispered, a sob clawing its way out of his chest. "Daisuke." He repeated, and tears started to fall uncontrollably from his eyes. When had he last cried this much?

Satoshi rubbed his eyes to stop the tears from flowing, but whispered again, "Daisuke." His voice cracking, he tried again, "Daisuke."

Someone had a firm grip from his arm, and was leading him away from the coffin. But Satoshi struggled, shaking his head helplessly.

_Daisuke._

* * *

It wasn't long before the friendly coffee meetings after school turned into dates. Satoshi had taken Daisuke's hand, and pressed his lips against Daisuke's.

"I want to be with you very much." Satoshi said at Daisuke's confusion.

Daisuke's confusion melted away into shyness mixed in with happiness.

"I want to be with you too." Daisuke confessed softly.

And they kissed again.

At first, their dates were held in secret, until Daisuke decided that they shouldn't be ashamed. He wanted to tell everyone that he was dating Satoshi. So they told their classmates first, right before homeroom started one day.

Riku looked like she was going to cry. Even though she and Daisuke had broken up a few months prior, it still hurt. Risa looked shell-shocked, and stayed that way for most of the day. Takeshi smirked, and shook his head in exasperation.

"Took you long enough." He muttered with a smile on his face.

Daisuke heard, and beamed at his best friend, glad that at least one person was happy with him.

After school, Daisuke brought him home to meet his family. After a few shocked expressions, Emiko, Kosuke, and Daiki eventually warmed up to their former enemy, and now possibly future son-in-law. Emiko had formally welcomed him to the family with an enthusiastic hug.

Satoshi had bewilderedly looked up at Daisuke, to find that his boyfriend was silently laughing at him. His gaze moved to Kosuke, whose mouth was turned up happily.

"Baptism by snuggle." Kosuke offered. "It's a tradition."

Satoshi just nodded wearily, and wondered if Kosuke or Daiki had any quirky traits that he should be warned against too.

After Emiko let him go and disappeared into the kitchen with Daisuke to prepare dinner, Satoshi was left sitting in the living room awkwardly with Daisuke's father and grandfather. Awkwardly until the Niwa family pet rabbit, With, jumped onto Satoshi's lap, and snuggled happily into his stomach. Satoshi was at a loss again. He wondered if he should be pleased that Daisuke's pet liked him or alarmed that Daisuke's pet was molesting him.

"Well, With seems to like you." Daiki said at long last.

Satoshi took this as a good sign.

Kosuke laughed, and suddenly the tension drained out of the room, and the three began talking about artwork, but avoiding the discussion of the Black Wings.

Hours later, after dinner, and when the five were in the living room, talking, Satoshi was glad that he was here, and squeezed Daisuke's arm appreciatively. Daisuke looked at him, and smiled, happy that everything went so well.

Their moment was broken up when Emiko started to squeal loudly, saying how cute they looked together. Satoshi tried to smile, and nodded, all while wearily wondering if the woman had anymore quirks he should worry about.

* * *

Satoshi hated the hospital. He had rarely gone when he was trying to catch thief, either binding the wounds himself, or having Krad take care of it.

The hospital was clean, white, pristine, luminescent, and odorless, but Satoshi found it dirty, dark, and oppressive. He sat on the hard plastic chair, drawing his jacket around him. He was cold, but he suddenly noticed the splotches of blood on them, and threw the jacket off.

He sat in the waiting room for eternity, staring at the clock, staring at the door where Daisuke had disappeared through hours ago, and staring at Emiko who had arrived fifteen minutes after he did. He tried reading a magazine, but he had a sinking feeling in his heart and felt like he was somehow betraying Daisuke. He put the magazine back on its rack, and continued to watch the clock tick by.

At long last, a doctor in white came out of the door and walked towards them. Satoshi and Emiko looked up, hopeful.

The doctor shook his head.

"I'm sorry…we tried everything, but…" the doctor looked like he rather be anywhere else in the world than breaking the news. "…he's gone…"

Emiko looked horrified, and she shook her head in denial.

"The police said the man who hit him was drunk." The doctor said, trying to console the two, but not knowing how.

Satoshi had stopped listening.

_He's gone._

* * *

The first Christmas they ever had together was at Daisuke's house. Satoshi enjoyed the warmth of family, and enjoyed the delicious meal that Emiko had created. When Satoshi felt like he ate double his weight, and would burst if he ate another bite, Daisuke dragged him upstairs to the relative privacy of his own room.

"Presents." Daisuke announced as soon as they entered his room.

"Without your family?" Satoshi asked.

Daisuke blushed. "Private." He answered.

Satoshi let out a brief chuckle. He handed Daisuke the present he had left on his desk before they went down to dinner.

He watched as Daisuke happily tore through the paper and tape.

"These brushes…!" Daisuke breathed happily, looking at the new set of paintbrushes he received. "They're beautiful! Thank-you, thank-you, thank-you!" Daisuke exclaimed, hugging Satoshi tightly.

Satoshi smiled. "I'm glad you like them."

Daisuke smiled brightly. He started rummaging around in his pockets, and handed Satoshi a small box, wrapped in cheerful red paper.

Like his hair and eyes, Satoshi mused happily.

He looked at Daisuke's expectant face, and purposely took his time carefully unwrapping his present. He laughed when he heard Daisuke's huff of annoyance.

He opened the box, and was met with the exquisite image of a platinum ring with a solid gold lining running along its middle, sitting upon a pillow of velvet.

"It's a promise ring." Daisuke quietly explained.

Satoshi looked at his boyfriend, and suddenly realized that he was wearing one that was identical.

"I'll stay with you forever." Satoshi said to the unasked question as he put his ring on.

Daisuke's bright smile was all Satoshi needed to know that he would never voluntarily leave Daisuke's side.

_Ever._

* * *

The day the accident happened was on a cool spring Sunday, where Daisuke and Satoshi had been walking down a street, window-shopping while holding hands. Satoshi had only untangled their hands for a second—a _second_ to point out something on display when he heard the screeching of tires, and then the sickening crunch.

Satoshi looked up, and saw Daisuke several feet in front of him, sprawled on the sidewalk, bleeding from a wound on his chest.

"Daisuke!" Satoshi cried.

"I'm cold." Daisuke whispered.

Satoshi held Daisuke's shivering frame. "You'll be fine." He comforted quietly.

"I'm cold," Daisuke whispered again. "I'm so cold."

Faintly, Satoshi heard someone calling the ambulance on their cell phone. That was good; he didn't think he could do it.

"There, there." Satoshi soothed helplessly.

He pressed his lips against Daisuke's, feeling the cold of Daisuke's body spreading to his.

"You'll be fine. You'll be fine."

* * *

End Notes: This style was definitely influenced to Heller's style. I liked how he skipped back and forth through time, although his was a bit more confusing that this. I hoped you enjoyed it, even if was only a little bit. And sorry for the random long paragraphs. I guess I just started rambling. o.o 


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